The best way to lose weight, believe me, is to eat less, said Boris Johnson as he defended the Governments food strategy after proposals for a salt and sugar tax were ignored.

With that believe me, the Prime Minister hit a nerve for serial dieters: which parts of the vast smorgasbord of advice out there should we be following to ensure our health and happiness?

Along with the recent introduction of calories onto restaurant menus, it can feel as if were being shamed into giving up food altogether.

For Professor Tim Spector, the Kings College London epidemiologist celebrated for his work with identical twins, as well as diet and the microbiome, all of the above represents a backward step in the public understanding of how humans respond to and process food.

For the past 100 years, weve been obsessed with calories, and it has really stopped us thinking about anything else, says the 63-year-old author of The Diet Myth and Spoon-fed. He has been working hard to change that thinking.

When The Diet Myth was published in 2015, few people had an inkling of the role that the estimated 100 trillion microbes in our gut play in our digestion. Spectors work has helped to put kefir in our fridges and kimchi in our jars. Via the Zoe Project, the worlds largest nutrition study, he has encouraged us all to join up and analyse our unique guts, blood fats and blood sugar responses.

Today, though, his number one myth target is that calories are a useful way to monitor our diet. Not only are calorie estimates often less accurate than we might hope, Spectors studies of twins have shown that humans vary hugely in how much energy they extract from a given food.

The daily allowances for men and women, Spector says, are not based on hard data. So I ask him: what should we be aiming for? Even asking the question, he says, gives credence to the idea that there is a perfect figure. If it was only 1,900, would that make a difference? No, it wouldnt.

And when people are told to avoid calorie-dense foods, Spector says that advice can be taken to be encouraging the consumption of low-calorie drinks and low-fat foods. Its why we support this multi-billion-pound diet industry of low-calorie shakes and Weight Watchers, and all that other stuff.

So, what other diet myths are we swallowing, according to Professor Spector?

Exercise does require energy, but our metabolism adjusts to that loss by storing more energy as fat the next time we eat.

Our body is programmed to keep our biology steady, known as homeostasis, so if our energy levels are drastically changed with lots more exercise and less food, our metabolism will respond by slowing the weight loss down and eventually put it back on very quickly when we go back to normal activity and food which is what we see in yo-yo dieters who put all the weight they initially lose back on. Saying that exercise alone is a good way to reach a healthy weight in the long-term is complete rubbish, Prof Spector says.

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11 of the most common diet myths, busted by Professor Tim Spector - The Telegraph

Some people use creatine and protein powder after exercise. Both supplements may aid in muscle recovery and enhance exercise performance.

Protein and creatine have different functions and may benefit some people. However, for best results, people need to take the correct dosage at the right time.

Creatine, an amino acid found in muscles, provides energy for various cell functions. It is most beneficial for shorter, high intensity workouts.

Protein powder is an easy way for people to quickly consume enough protein after workouts. Taking leucine-rich protein, such as whey protein, after exercise can help muscle recovery.

Read more to learn about the differences between creatine and protein, their benefits, and which one to take after working out.

Creatine and protein powder are two supplements that people can take for exercise performance and recovery.

Creatine is an amino acid that is naturally present in muscles. The body makes it from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Additionally, people can get it by eating red meat, fish, and taking supplements.

During high intensity exercise, creatine provides energy and produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is an energy-storing compound that lives in body cells. Its breakdown provides energy for various cell functions, such as muscle contractions.

Some people who do high intensity exercise choose to take creatine as a supplement. It comes in different forms, with creatine monohydrate being the most common.

In the nutritional supplement market, people can find other forms, including:

Protein is a macronutrient that plays an important role in muscle growth and development. Most people consume their protein through food sources, such as:

Supplements are an easy way to increase protein intake, but they are not a replacement for food sources. However, they are a convenient form of high quality protein, especially if a person has a busy schedule.

Protein supplements usually come in powder form. A person can mix the powder with water or milk to make a protein shake, blend in smoothies or shakes, and add to cereals and baked goods.

There are multiple types of protein powder, including:

Plant-based types include:

Many athletes use creatine supplements for sports performance and exercise recovery. People can also use protein powder after workouts to promote muscle recovery.

Research has shown that creatine can increase lean muscle mass and exercise capacity, which is a persons maximum athletic ability. It works best when used with short, high intensity workouts.

Creatine can help improve specific aspects of exercise, so it may be useful for athletes in certain sports. For example, it may improve muscle recovery after performing a maximum-weight squat exercise. It can also improve power in anaerobic exercise and aid recovery after workouts.

Some people may also take protein powder after a workout to support muscle growth and recovery.

Research supports that taking quick digesting leucine-rich protein, such as whey protein, can optimize the production of proteins in the working muscles. Leucine is an essential amino acid that is important for protein synthesis.

Experts suggest that people who exercise regularly have higher protein requirements. Therefore, people who participate in regular physical activity may benefit from supplementing their diet with protein powder.

Both creatine and protein powder can help with muscle gain if combined with adequate training and a calorie surplus.

Complex training, which involves heavy-resistance exercises, is an effective method for developing muscle strength and power. However, they are also very strenuous, and a person can tire quickly.

Fatigue recovery is an important factor that affects exercise performance. Studies have shown that different creatine supplementation regimens may help lower muscle fatigue. Taking creatine after working out seems to be more beneficial than taking it before exercise.

Additionally, consuming protein after a workout can help recovery and muscle growth.

Some experts suggest that people who exercise for more than 3 months eat more protein. However, they also recommend resorting to supplements only if a person is not getting enough protein from their usual diet.

Taking low doses of creatine daily for 2830 days may help increase the amount of this amino acid found in the muscles.

In a 2021 study, participants took 3 gram (g) of creatine every day for 28 days. The researchers report that this regimen improved exercise performance. Experts also demonstrated that taking 20 g of creatine for 57 days leads to a similar increase in the amount of this amino acid in the muscles.

Other experts report benefits of taking a larger dose of creatine to start, followed by a lower dose.

An example of this regimen is taking 20 g per day for a short time, followed by a 5 g dose for 28 to 30 days. Most experts advise splitting the larger 20 g dose into multiple smaller doses.

Protein is an essential macronutrient, but people who exercise regularly need more than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). The RDA for protein is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day. Current evidence suggests that people who exercise for more than 5 months need between 1.52 times more protein than the RDA.

For optimal muscle protein synthesis after workouts, people should aim to consume 2025 g in the form of food or protein powder. Most commercial protein powders have about this amount in one scoop.

Creatine and protein supplementation may provide specific benefits that support certain types of training. In clinical studies, creatine may help people who practice heavy-resistance training.

People who exercise regularly require more protein than the recommended dietary allowance suggests. Before a person begins taking supplements, it is advisable to contact a doctor or registered dietitian.

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Creatine vs. protein: Which is better, post-workout, and more - Medical News Today

Chris Hemsworth takes his fitness and workout routine seriously. Getting into shape to play the God of Thunder in the Thor movies doesnt come easy. Neither does staying in shape. We know the diet that helped Hemsworth bulk up for Avengers: Endgame. He took things to another level for Thor: Love and Thunder, but he also has what he calls an 80-20 diet with cheat foods we can fully get behind.

Hemsworth once said there are three rules he follows to stay in shape year-round. Simply, exercise, diet, and sleep are all important to overall health, they all need to be respected equally, and one needs to remain committed to all three to stay in shape.

The Australian actor even created his own fitness app to help others achieve better health. App or no, Hemsworth adhered to a strict regimen to get in shape for Thor: Love and Thunder.

One of the questions that came up during a Wired Google autocomplete interview on YouTube was, Can Chris Hemsworth bench 300 pounds. The short answer is no (he prefers push-ups and dumbbell presses), but the actor admitted his training for Love and Thunder was very precise.

These days, for Thor: Love and Thunder, I think Im the biggest I ever was and probably in the best shape Ive ever been in, Hemsworth said. But that was very strategic, different exercises shaping my physique, and also a very specific diet. Bench press? Not a very big strength of mine.

During the same Wired segment, Hemsworth talked about his everyday diet, and if he was telling the truth, hes truly all of us when it comes to his favorite cheat foods.

One of Hemsworths three fitness rules is following a healthy diet. He eats plenty of lean proteins and vegetables but limits carbs. Combined with his workout routine, Hemsworths diet helps keep him in good health.

Still, it turns out the actor who plays the God of Thunder has a sweet tooth, and he lets himself indulge, as he told Wired:

But like anyone, you know, I have a sweet tooth. I have a real appetite and passion for pizza and burgers and ice cream and all the bad things, you know, but I try to give myself, you know, sort of an 80-20 rule. Eighty percent, 20% with the good being the 80 and 20% being the cheat meal, if you will.

Hemsworth lets himself indulge, but hes probably not eating a pound of chocolate for every five pounds of chicken breast, veggies, and rice he consumes.

Hemsworth starts eating almost as soon as he wakes up in order to maintain his Thor-like physique.

He starts his day with a plant-based shake or smoothie a couple of hours before eating a full breakfast. That breakfast usually includes a mix of protein, fiber, and complex (not refined) carbs. For example, multiple eggs with toast or oatmeal and some veggies. For lunch (and sometimes for dinner), the Aussie actor eats a substantial portion of meat-based protein balanced with veggies and starches, like a baked potato or rice.

Hemsworth often snacks before bed so he doesnt get hungry overnight. If that seems like a lot of food, it is, but he also burns calories with frequent workouts.

Hemsworths 80-20 diet, as he called it, involves a lot of thought on the 80%, and he works hard to earn the 20% cheat meals he loves so much.

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheets YouTube channel.

RELATED: Chris Hemsworth Reveals the Greatest Challenge of Playing Thor, Which Is Also Part of the Fun

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'Thor: Love and Thunder' Star Chris Hemsworth Is All of Us With His Cheat Foods in His '80-20' Diet - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The obesity epidemic isn't slowing down anytime soon, and new research delivers even worse news: Most American adults have not only gained more weight, but they gained most of it earlier in life.

The statistics were grim: More than half of Americans in the representative sample had gained 5% or more body weight during a 10-year period. More than one-third of Americans had gained 10% or more body weight. And nearly one-fifth had gained 20% or more body weight.

It got worse: People were gaining more substantial amounts of weight earlier in adulthood, thus carrying more of that extra weight for more years, researchers found.

This pattern was surprising, said study author Larry Tucker, a professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah. "What people don't realize is that most of that weight, the actual gaining of weight, is highest at a younger age."

In the study, his team culled data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) on 10-year weight change patterns of more than 13,800 U.S. adults.

In 2000, about 30.5% of adult Americans were obese. By 2017-2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that about 42.4% of adult Americans had reached that weight.

Those extra pounds were packed on in early adulthood: The average American gained about 17.6 pounds from their mid-20s to mid-30s, the study found. Meanwhile, the average person gained about 14.3 pounds between their 30s and 40s, 9.5 pounds between their 40s and 50s, and 4.6 pounds between their 50s and 60s.

Women gained twice as much weight as men, 12 pounds, on average, compared to about 6 pounds. Black women had the greatest average weight gain over 10 years, about 19.4 pounds.

Reasons for the nationwide increase vary, Tucker said. The environment people live and eat in is far different from what it was 50 or 100 years ago. Obesity rates didn't start climbing until the late 1970s or early 1980s, he explained.

"That's because very rapidly a few things happened," Tucker said. "That's when fast food became prevalent. Before, people were more in control of what they ate. People sat down and had meals. People planned ahead. 'What are you going to eat? What are you having for supper tonight?'"

Picking up what is admittedly a tasty fast meal, but loaded with calories, makes it hard for a person to control what they're eating, he said.

"It takes a very conscientious person to work around that. I do this for a living and I'm lean, but it's because I'm very much aware of the situation," Tucker said.

The findings were published recently in the Journal of Obesity .

Dr. Ethan Lazarus, president of the Obesity Medicine Association, said he had not seen the issue of obesity studied in this way before.

"It definitely points to the idea that obesity is not an equal opportunity employer. It's unfortunately disproportionately affecting already marginalized groups with less access to care," noted Lazarus, who was not part of the study.

One reason for the greater impact on women may be that they have experienced more environmental changes than men have in the last five decades, with greater numbers in the workforce and also caring for families, he said.

"I think you see a lot published these days about higher levels of stress and lower amounts of sleep, and more time sitting and more time staring at computer screens," Lazarus said. "That's become the normal American job is to sit in front of a computer all day and then we get home and we're so tired all we can do is sit on the couch and play with the phone. It's like we're never unplugged."

Lazarus also pointed to the foods Americans eat, coming from a box with high quantities of sugar and little nutritional value, as a factor.

"What we look at as a normal diet in America, I think is fueling this epidemic," Lazarus said.

He suggested rethinking values of making money and working more hours and instead refocusing on personal health.

For those who are already living with obesity, the Obesity Medicine Association suggests healthy nutrition, counseling on physical activity and what it calls intensive lifestyle intervention, which addresses issues that lead to weight gain, such as stress, sleep deprivation and social events. A variety of new medications can also target obesity, Lazarus said.

For people with more advanced or more complicated obesity, there are surgical options, Lazarus said.

Tucker said he would like to see more education based on well-established principles of healthy eating from a young age, including not rewarding young people with food and encouraging fruits and vegetables.

"I think knowing at a young age with the medical community involved, with schools involved, we don't want people to become obsessed and think that their worth is in their weight," Tucker noted.

"That's not healthy, but at the same time, we want them to realize that it's hard to be healthy," he said. "It's hard to prevent diabetes. It's hard to prevent heart disease if people continue to gain weight and become obese."

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on overweight and obesity.

SOURCES: Larry Tucker, PhD, professor, exercise science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah; Ethan Lazarus, MD, president, Obesity Medicine Association, and physician, Clinical Nutrition Center, Greenwood Village, Colo.; Journal of Obesity, May 6, 2022

WebMD News from HealthDay

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Biggest Weight Gain Now Comes Early in Adulthood - WebMD

Walnuts and other nuts help maintain our heart's health as we age

As we age, our organs go through wear and tear over time. This wear and tear may not be completely avoidable but can be slowed down. What we eat significantly Influences our health and can help slow down this ageing.

Superfoods are foods that contain exceptional nutritive value and provide various benefits to our bodies. Superfoods can help maintain better heart health. These foods can help maintain better heart health for people over the age of 50.

Superfoods for heart health at 50:

1. Whole grains

Unlike refined grains, whole grains provide much more benefits to the body, especially the heart. While refined foods increase the risk of heart diseases, whole grains protect the heart against general wear and tear.

2. Dark chocolate

Eating foods rich in antioxidants ensures your body and heart stay protected against toxins present around us. Dark chocolate is abundant in antioxidants and also rich in essential minerals that improve the heart's functioning.

3. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables also known as green leafy vegetables include lettuce, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and so on. These vegetables are rich in fibre, and various other nutrients and promote better functioning of the muscles.

4. Fatty fish

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, etc. are a great source of protein and healthy fats. The body requires protein for various functions. Along with this, healthy fats help absorb other vitamins the body requires to function properly.

5. Nuts

Nuts are one of the most nutritious superfoods. They are packed with nutrients and improve various functions in the body. Studies have shown, that walnuts can shield one against many coronary diseases.

6. Tomatoes

As mentioned under dark chocolate, an antioxidant-rich diet protects us against external radicals and toxins. Tomatoes reduce inflammation and have been proven to reduce symptoms of various coronary diseases.

7. Olive oil

Olive oil is another food abundant in antioxidants. Various oils may increase one's risk of developing coronary diseases while olive oil can help reduce it. A significant improvement was shown in the heart health of people that started using olive oil in their diet.

8. Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese more commonly known as paneer is a great food to add to your diet if you want to maintain a healthy heart. We start losing our bone density past the age of 35. If you wish to maintain a healthy heart at 50, it is important to consume nutrient-rich foods in abundance.

9. Legumes

One of the most common heart diseases in people over 50 is cholesterol. Legumes such as lentils, beans, and chickpeas have been proven to reduce cholesterol. They are also rich in essential minerals iron, magnesium, and potassium which help in our body's functioning.

10. Berries

Berries are rich in fibre, vista ins, and antioxidants. These components maintain and improve the health of our hearts. Post 40 you should be very careful about your diet. Berries such as strawberries and blueberries act as great snacks and substitutes for unhealthy candies and sugary foods.

It is ideal to incorporate these superfoods into your diet to ensure you have a healthy and disease-free heart. Besides this, we also encourage you to exercise regularly. Exercise has been proven to reduce the risk for various chronic and acute heart-related diseases.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Before we get into the nitty-gritty of thyroid diseaseWhat is the number one symptom to look out for? How can you keep your thyroid healthy?let's start with the basics: What exactly is the thyroid, and what does it do?

"The thyroid gland is a tiny, butterfly-shaped organ found directly behind the voice box on the front of the neck (larynx)," explains Saroj Kumar, MD, owner of Health Review Live. "The thyroid's primary function is to regulate your metabolism." And that's essential: Your metabolism never stops working and is the source of energy for basic bodily functions, according to the Cleveland Clinic. These functions include breathing, blood circulation, regulating temperature and hormone levels, and digesting food.

In other words, you want to keep the process going smoothly. Read on for seven ways to keep your thyroid healthy and your metabolism ticking.

READ THIS NEXT: If You Can't Stop Doing This at Night, Get Your Thyroid Checked.

Stress is harmful to our health in many different ways. It can cause headaches, raise blood pressure, affect libido, and lower immunityand that's just for starters. Chronic stress can also affect thyroid function by interfering with hormone synthesis, says Kumar, who recommends meditation and deep breathing as two of the many things you can try to reduce stress.

"A zinc deficiency may increase the chance of developing hypothyroidism, since zinc regulates the immune system and thyroid," advises Kumar, who lists foods such as oysters, pork, chicken, beans, nuts, and whole grains as rich sources of zinc. Just be mindful to not consume too much, as an excessive amount of zinc can cause a copper deficiency.

A healthy gut is crucial to our well-being in almost too many ways to count, including our brain health and thyroid function. "Because the bulk of the immune system sits in the gut, it is crucial to enhance gut function via lifestyle modifications," says Kumar, who recommends several ways to boost your gut health, including taking probiotics and eating a gut-healthy diet.

RELATED:For more up-to-date information, sign up for ourdaily newsletter.

Cutting processed and junk foods from your diet can help boost your metabolism (among other benefits; too much junk food can increase your risk for dementia). "Once you learn to detect and eliminate the offenders, you will notice a noticeable improvement in your health," notes Kumar. "Processed food has become so ingrained in our everyday lives that it may seem like a daunting task to eliminate it."

You may not be aware of which foods contain iodine; these include table (iodized) salt, fish and shellfish, dairy, chicken, and beef liver. "A deficiency in iodine is one of the dietary causes of hypothyroidism," explains Kumar. "Iodine is necessary for optimal thyroid function. Consuming the appropriate quantity might provide a boost."ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

As stated above, stress can have a negative effect on your thyroid healthand "inadequate sleep may increase your body's stress burden," warns Kumar. "Prioritizing quality sleep is essential for repairing your thyroid, [and] there are several techniques to sleep better, including establishing a bedtime routine and minimizing caffeine use throughout the day."

Improved thyroid health and a boosted metabolism are just two great reasons to get regular exercise (along with other benefits like brain health). Kumar recommends resistance training to help keep your thyroid healthy, noting that the activity "contributes to muscle growth, which indirectly influences thyroid function." Kumar adds that "exercise can also help people regulate their weight. Many individuals with hypothyroidism are concerned about their weight, since the condition slows the metabolism, making it more difficult to shed or maintain weight."

Continued here:
7 Ways to Heal Your Thyroid and Boost Your Metabolism, Doctors Say - Best Life

WORTHINGTON Annual wellness checks can save lives, help people avoid health scares and catch small problems before they become major health issues, as a Worthington man learned recently.

Jose Estanisla Aguirre went to Sanford Worthington Clinic for a routine physical that included a blood test in 2018, and learned he was prediabetic. Prediabetes often doesnt have any symptoms, and while it can lead to diabetes, it doesnt always.

It was a small change, at first. Aguirre worked nights, and he started feeling thirsty a lot of the time. Hed drink two whole bottles of water a night, and then it started getting worse. He was up to drinking five whole bottles of water a night, and still felt thirsty on his half-hour drive to work every night.

I say this is not normal, I gotta go see a doctor, he recalled.

Aguirre visited the clinic in January 2021, where they did more lab work and found he had indeed become diabetic. He was prescribed two medications, but had a reaction to one, which was then stopped. Aguirre also began some home remedies, like eating vegetable smoothies in the morning, and got his blood sugar back down.

He hasnt lost a lot of weight, but hes switched to working days rather than nights, which has helped. He feels better, and his stress levels have gone down too.

Submitted photo

And Im more active too, at home, he said.

Now he advises people to make sure to have their annual physicals and screenings.

Detecting it early can help to better control illness, Aguirre said. If they wait, sometimes its too late. It will take more to heal or recover.

His primary physician, Dr. Charles Dike, said its pretty common that people dont follow up with their annual wellness checks and screenings, particularly when they arent having any symptoms which is common with issues like prediabetes and high blood pressure.

It takes time, costs money to see a provider, so its not something that people like to do, especially in situations where they work during the day, Dike explained. And they cant afford to take some time off and see a provider for something theyre not even sure exists.

Annual physicals are important, but depending on peoples age and gender, there are other screenings too. Men age 45 and older need to be screened for colon cancer, and when they reach age 50, they should also be checked specifically for prostate cancer, Dike said.

Women need cervical cancer screenings every three years, starting at age 21, then every five years after that. Mammograms are annual starting at age 40, but those at high risk may need to start them sooner. And they, too, need colorectal cancer screenings.

But even before that, in their 20s, people need to get those routine physicals so they can be screened for diabetes, lipid disorders and thyroid issues.

That will help to catch some of these preventable or treatable diseases early, and that will minimize complications of those diseases, Dike said. And they will be counseled on weight, diet, exercise and things that will help you improve your health outcomes.

Those screenings are for people who are healthy, too.

Everyone should realize that its safer, better, cheaper to make time to see your provider at least once a year. It really is helpful it is. If you dont need to be seen every year, the provider will tell you, Dike said.

Excerpt from:
Regular health screenings can save lives, even for the young and healthy - The Globe

Megan Rapinoe is aware of the elephant in the room.

She turns 37 soon and she has started only one game for OL Reign this season in the National Women's Soccer League season due to injuries. Still, U.S. women's national team head coach Vlatko Andonovski selected her for the 23-player roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifying tournament, which starts July 4, one day before her birthday.

Rapinoe -- both she and Andonovski say -- will play a very different role from the one that the world is accustomed to seeing her in.

"We have a really young squad," Rapinoe told ESPN, "and I feel like what I can bring to them in a mentor role, at training, being in their ear, the level of professionalism and understanding the style that Vlatko wants to play, and [being] that conduit to what the coaching staff wants and what the players are going to ultimately do on the field, was part of the roster selection.

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"If people don't like that, that's fine. They're not the coach of the national team. Vlatko's the coach, and ultimately it falls on him and what he wants and what he's willing to put his reputation on and the team's reputation on. Ultimately, if he's unsuccessful, he'll be fired, and he knows that, and I think he's OK with that. If we're unsuccessful -- if I'm unsuccessful -- I'll be cut from the team, and that's fine, too."

Most of the world knows Rapinoe for her role as the leader of the United States' triumph at the 2019 Women's World Cup. With her unmistakable pink hair, Rapinoe won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot as the top player and scorer while the U.S. clinched a second straight World Cup title, all while fighting the U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay and protesting against the Trump administration.

After that magical month in France, Rapinoe says now, she felt stuck in a "hamster wheel." Her life changed completely as her celebrity increased, and she found herself struggling to balance the emotional, mental and spiritual aspects with the usual physical demands made harder as she aged. The Olympics were delayed a year until 2021, and the U.S. eventually slogged through some poor stretches of play at that tournament to win a bronze medal. Rapinoe scored twice in the 4-3 win over Australia in that third-place game.

Then came the break. Beginning in November, Andonovski purposely left out longtime veteran national team players -- including Rapinoe -- from training camps. His plan was to get a better look at young, less experienced players in order to determine whether they could contribute to more important moments like qualifying and, ultimately, the World Cup. Andonovski revealed earlier this month that he and Rapinoe had a discussion in late 2021 about her eventual return to the team.

"With that conversation, she understood that we are going to bring in a lot of players, we are going to test a lot of players," Andonovski said. "We want to give the young players lots of minutes and opportunities to play and give us a chance to evaluate as much as possible. But after everything is said and done, if she is healthy and if she is fit to get minutes, that she will be on the roster. We know what Megan is capable of doing."

At some point during qualifying, Andonovski says, younger U.S. players will need Rapinoe's experience to navigate a difficult situation. Rapinoe was around for qualifying in 2010 -- the previous time Mexico hosted the tournament -- when the U.S. lost to Mexico in the semifinals and had to eke through a playoff with Italy to become the final team to qualify for the 2011 World Cup. It was the closest the U.S. women's national team had ever gotten to not qualifying for a World Cup.

Several veterans from that near disaster remain active. Rapinoe said that no two players' situations are the same, and that people very generally grouped veterans together over the past nine months of this roster overhaul process. (Alex Morgan also returns to the squad for qualifying. She leads the NWSL with 11 goals in 10 games.) Everyone who got called up deserves to be, Rapinoe said, and even players who did not get the call deserved inclusion, too.

"Rosters are not a compilation just of, go pick the best players and hope for the best," Rapinoe said. "It's about constructing an organism that works together on and off the field, that works not necessarily harmoniously all the time, but that the right pieces fit for certain reasons and for reasons most people don't understand."

Injuries played a role in the public skepticism of Rapinoe's return to the national team. A day after feeling like she completely recovered from a nagging ankle injury this spring, she pulled her calf muscle. Her return to the field for OL Reign, something she needed to do to show she was fit for national team selection, was then delayed.

Personal frustrations mounted for Rapinoe during that time, she says, so much so that sometimes retirement became a thought of hers -- not because it was what she wanted to do, but because it felt like the only way to break the cycle. Rapinoe credits her fiance, Sue Bird -- who announced last week that she would retire at the end of this WNBA season, her 21st -- with helping her manage those feelings as someone going through a similar process. Those are thoughts of the past, Rapinoe says.

"I think being able to have someone who intimately knows what it means when I say, 'I want to retire right now I'm so frustrated,' it may not actually mean that," Rapinoe said. "It actually means a lot of different things. So, being able to be there for her, and her be there for me, is the greatest gift ever."

As U.S. national team training camp convenes in Colorado this week ahead of World Cup qualifying, Rapinoe said she's in a much better place now. The outside world saw some of her physical struggles as she tried to get back on the field this spring, but they did not see her daily, internal battles with herself.

"I feel like I'm just now on the other side of healing, physically and emotionally, and getting to a place where this feels new," Rapinoe said. "Because I couldn't have done what I was just kind of continuing to do after 2019. That felt like a hamster wheel, and it didn't feel like a choice, and now I feel like I'm actually making a choice. My role is different, and I think I understand what my role is and I'm comfortable with it -- I'm really excited about that. It's kind of a combination of those things where I feel like in the last couple of weeks, I feel like a weight has been lifted. But also, I'm like, 'Oh my God, I'm excited again.' "

Beyond leadership, Rapinoe still has an uncanny ability to change results on a dime by being unpredictable from both open play and set pieces. She is also just reliable, and that matters to coaches in pressure-filled situations. As Reign head coach Laura Harvey said in May, "I would put my mortgage on Megan Rapinoe to score a penalty."

Harvey and Andonovski played significant roles in Rapinoe's career arc. The affable winger is best known for her triumphs at the world stage, but Rapinoe credits the evolution of her game -- one that helped the Americans win both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups -- to her time with the Seattle-based club, and specifically Harvey and Andonovski, who have both served as her coaches at the Reign.

"I feel like I owe so much of my national team career to the Reign," Rapinoe said. "I've had two of the best, if not the best coaches in the world, coach here and to be able to play under them. Some of the best players in the world [were here]... I feel like it's where my game grew up. I think up until I got here it was like, 'Yeah, I'm talented, I'm on the national team, we're doing stuff, we're successful.' But I feel like when I got here, my game changed completely, and I really took it to the next level. I just owe so much to this club."

Andonovski coached the Reign prior to taking over the national team job and in that role he insisted that Rapinoe could still be better by improving her crossing accuracy and influencing the game in small moments, like a quick throw-in to catch an opponent off guard. He said that one year before Rapinoe dominated the 2019 World Cup.

"I didn't want her to be known as Pinoe who can serve the ball," Andonovski said in 2018, as coach of the Reign. "I wanted her to be known as Pinoe who can change the game. How? Who cares? One time she'll serve, one time she'll slice a through ball, one time she'll shoot. One time she'll get a restart -- it doesn't matter. Be unpredictable."

Harvey was the original coach of the team -- then called the Seattle Reign prior to being bought by the owners of Olympique Lyonnais -- and she oversaw arguably the most dominant team in NWSL history in 2014 and 2015. The Reign went 16 games unbeaten in 2014 on their way to the first of two consecutive NWSL Shields, but they lost the NWSL championship each year to Andonovski-coached FC Kansas City sides.

Ten years into the NWSL and many great Reign teams later, a playoff championship trophy still eludes the franchise. Rapinoe is one of three original Reign players to have been with the team from the inaugural season in 2013 (among 21 who remain active leaguewide from that first season). Jess Fishlock is one of the others, and while she was the league MVP in 2021, she will turn 36 before next season. Add that context to the short-term loan acquisition of Kim Little -- who was the engine of those Reign glory teams and the 2014 league MVP -- and the arrivals of Tobin Heath and striker Jordyn Huitema, and it suggests the Reign are all-in on finally ending the drought this year.

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"I'm really motivated and focused to bring a title to a club that I feel like really deserves it and has done things the right way," Rapinoe said. "I feel like [we play] a style of soccer that has been inspirational not only here but around the world."

Before she returns to the Reign for the stretch run of the NWSL season, Rapinoe will help guide a very different-looking U.S. team at World Cup qualifying in Mexico. Four automatic qualification berths from the region lower the stakes a bit, but only the winner of the CONCACAF W Championship tournament will earn an automatic berth to the 2024 Olympics. (Second and third place go to a playoff.)

Rapinoe's inclusion in World Cup qualifying both reinvigorated her and provided clarity for her path ahead. If Rapinoe is to play in a fourth World Cup next year, it will have to be in a much different capacity than the previous cycles. She is at peace with that, so long as it is the best path for the team.

"Now, I can imagine myself in qualifiers," Rapinoe said. "Now, I can imagine, potentially, what a run to a World Cup would look like and what's going to be required of me, where I feel comfortable and where I can push myself, where I can be of the utmost help to the team. Ultimately, that's what it's about. It's about winning, period. It's about getting another championship and going for a three-peat, which is f---ing ridiculous and amazing. If I can be a part of that, that excites me."

Link:
Megan Rapinoe's USWNT role has changed and she's at peace: 'A weight has been lifted' - ESPN

The Troike program helps students prepare for the TACHs test by emphasizing religion, math, science, and language arts, but they also experience other subjects, such as theater arts. This year, journalism and creative writing are joining the mix. (Photo: Courtesy of Cathedral Prep)

ELMHURST Social and political chaos dominated 1968, with the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert Kennedy, as well as violent protests over U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

The faculty of Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary saw the need to divert young men from the turmoil. So they developed a summertime program that fed their spiritual development, basic academics, and teamwork via organized sports.

The annual month-long Troike program returns this year, July 5-29, at the Cathedral Prep campus in Elmhurst, Queens.

Just as much has changed in the U.S. since 1968, the program has also evolved. This year brings a new slate of activities for boys participating from grades 6, 7, and 8.

The morning academics portion helps them prepare for high school and the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS) by building knowledge in religion, science, English/Language Arts, and math. But theater arts were added in recent years. And this summer, for the first time, is journalism and creative writing.

Were always evaluating and always trying to grow to make things better, said Father James Kuroly, rector and president of the school.

The afternoon athletics continues to foster teamwork and camaraderie, but new this year is a soccer clinic.

We try our best to keep things updated and exciting for the kids, said Deacon Phil Franco, assistant principal and director of the program. In our organized games, there will be soccer this year, which weve never had before to my knowledge. But there was a little more of a call for soccer than ever before.

And last year, the program added video games.

There are those young people who dont like playing sports, Father Kuroly said. And we respect that. So theres opportunities for them in the cafeteria where they can play chess, ping pong, other board games, and video games.

Also new this year will be on-site lunches. In years past, students brought their own food, but now they can buy meals in the cafeteria.

It usually shuts down for the summer, but this year, we will have it open, Father Kuroly said. Thats one of the things that the parents consistently asked for the last couple of years.

The programs evolution included a name change in the early years, from Summer Program.

Leading its development was popular math teacher Father Ed Troike, who died five years later of cancer at age 44. The school honored his memory by renaming it the Father Troike Leadership Program.

That leadership part was training our students to be counselors, and to really take upon a leadership role of service and of a servant leader, Father Kuroly said. Over the years, obviously, it has been a great recruitment tool.

A lot of those who go to Troike ended up coming to the school, such as myself.

The lead counselor this year is Daniel Schilling, who will be in the 11th grade this fall.

The summer program speaks to the message of Cathedral Prep, which is forming men for greatness, Schilling said.

His brother, John (Class of 2018) is still involved as the associate director and the schools new admissions and enrollment coordinator.

Its a full-circle moment for me, John Schilling said. I was a student here at Cathedral, and I worked as a (Troike) counselor for three summers. I used to sit in on classes when I was a counselor, and now I teach a class, which is really cool. I couldnt have imagined that I would be doing that many years ago.

The cost is $500 for the entire month. Lunch costs extra, but on a per meal basis.

Because it is summer and some people may go away on vacation, we encourage students who are only able to come for one, two, or three weeks to still come anyway, John Schilling said. We adjust the price accordingly. Each week costs $125, essentially, but we prefer if students come for the full program so that they can get the most out of it.

Parents can fill out a registration form and pay the $500 fee by logging on to cathedralprep.org or calling the admissions office at 718-592-6800 Ext.150. For more information email John Schilling at jschilling@cathedralprep.org.

Read the rest here:
'Troike' Summer Program Returns to Cathedral Prep with New Classes and Sports - The Tablet Catholic Newspaper

The Army has adopted an all-around health program that targets a range of areas, including mental, spiritual and physical health. The Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, program aims to take the best of current mental and physical health science to improve the condition of soldiers across the force.

But this isnt the first time, by far, that the service has looked for ways to better mold soldiers for the rigors of modern battle.

Army Maj. Garrett Gatzemeyer, 37, has now documented this long and fascinating history in his recent book, Bodies for Battle: U.S. Army Physical Culture and Systematic Training, 1885-1957.

Gatzemeyer was commissioned out of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2007, and later taught history there as an assistant professor from 2016 to 2019. Like soldiers everywhere, Gatzemeyer did his dose of calisthenics without fail when he hit the regular Army.

And, like many in uniform over the past century, he had a limited understanding of how the Army produced those bodyweight physical routines, its run distance and other measures of fitness.

As the service began revamping its protocols with combat fitness tests and other ways to keep soldiers in fighting shape, the Fruitland, Idaho, native was leafing through old Army manuals as he sought a dissertation topic while working on his doctoral degree at the University of Kansas.

Army Maj. Garrett Gatzemeyer, author of "Bodies for Battle," analyzes Army physical training between 1885 and 1957. (Garrett Gatzemeyer and University Press of Kansas)

The old physical training manuals from the 1920s and 1940s drew his attention.

The language was really rich and interesting, Gatzemeyer told Army Times. And in many ways, the PT manuals felt really, really familiar to me as an Army officer.

The pages, which dated to the pre-World War II era, had instructions on how to do burpees and a series of drills that soldiers had performed for generations.

That finding and a few more years of research led Gatzemeyer to draft his dissertation, obtain his doctoral degree and publish Bodies for Battle.

The first lesson for todays soldiers: What you do now has an origin story, and PT wasnt always the way it is now.

Gatzemeyer talked to Army Times recently about his findings. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Q: Young students can ignore history. But there are cultural aspects in the military on how leaders and troops view physical fitness. What did you notice while you were researching that stood out?

A: That was about the time, mid-2015 to 2016, that the Army was working itself away from the Army Physical Fitness Test and moving toward what became the Army Combat Fitness Test. The study for what comes next had just concluded and one of the findings in the study was that the Army should reduce its run to 1.5 miles down from the 2-mile run, because science indicated that was the optimal distance to test cardiovascular fitness. I remember reading that the sergeant major of the Army wanted that overruled because, he said, that last half mile tested your spirit and your heart.

I was reading these old manuals at the time, and I said, theres clearly more to fitness than just measures of physiological performance, given the sergeant majors comments and then kind of reflecting on my own experience with how we associate good leaders or good soldiers with high PT scores.

A U.S. Army recruiting poster circa 1919, left, boasts that it will build men. A recruiting poster from 2019, conceived in response to the perceived shrinking of qualified recruits, targets Generation Z young adults with a focus that goes beyond traditional combat roles. (Army)

Q: On the civilian side, fitness goes through various trends and fads. From the jogging-centric 1970s to the bodybuilding craze of the 1980s and 90s and even CrossFit in recent decades. Has the Army seen such shifts?

A: Early in the period of my research I saw a tug-of-war in Army leadership, mostly at West Point, between cavalry, drill, organized sport and later systematic group exercise. And the science was just emerging. It was not just exercise for exercises sake. People are starting to learn that if you repeatedly work a muscle, for instance, that muscle can become larger or stronger and capable of carrying more weight. But theyre also trying to apply that concept more broadly and in an educative sense. So, they make connections between physical and bodily health and things like mental health, social well-being and morality.

The beginning of my research, the late 1800s to the early 1900s is also the Progressive Era. Thats when many people were looking to scientific methods to improve society, hygiene and community planning to make better citizens. The question they were asking was what the physical training was supposed to produce. Some saw it as simply a matter of becoming better horsemen, better at drill and other soldier tasks. That fit the tactics of the time, which required discipline and obedience. But some saw athletics to both improve fitness and create teamwork. But sport often meant injuries and often a focus on the talented star athletes on one team, instead of total force fitness development.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, cadets drill in group exercise circa 1903. (West Point archives)

Q: Itd be easy to see how some thought that combat-focused physical training was the priority, especially in the more physically demanding era of early 1900s soldiering. Was that always the case?

A: The Armys physical culture didnt start with training for specific skills or tasks. It was a little bit more abstract. It was about training the soldier and cultivating some characteristics that would be useful on the battlefield but not translate directly. So, theyre not, for instance, teaching grappling or combatives in this early period of the 1880s-1890s. But they are doing things to instill discipline and making a unit work well together.

Q: Much of physical fitness and physical culture came from a variety of other sources. How did the Army bring that knowledge into the force?

A: A lot of it was up to the individual unit commander to create. Then, with the rapid increase in the size of the Army for World War I and World War II, the force needed a more uniform way to bring all soldiers up to a standard. The Army just didnt have the depth and breadth of expertise among its physical trainers at that time. So, they had to turn to civilians and bring in experts from the outside. The institute was forced, in a way, to accept this outside advice and cede some of that territory. But, when the demands were gone, after the two world wars, military leadership took back more control and you see more of the traditional culture reemerge.

Q: You covered a lot of events in your book, from 1885 through 1957. Why did you pick those as the starting and ending points?

A: Within the Army, physical training began gaining traction after 1885 and physical educators took a major step forward, more broadly, with the founding of the American Association for the Advancement of Physical Education at that time. There are three evolutionary periods for the Armys physical culture between 1885 and 1957; the disciplinary era led by Herman Koehler, Master of the Sword at West Point; the combat-readiness interregnum of 1917-1919; and the rise of the scientific measurement school of thought after 1942. In 1957, the debate between drill and sport and systematic training had essentially ended, and Army leaders in a conference that year brought together all the leading physical fitness experts, establishing a doctrine and culture that is like what the Army has today. At that conference, for the first time since 1885, you dont see any question anymore that systematic training is valuable. A lot of it feels like consensus when you read the conference report about what the Army should be doing in terms of exercise and a daily routine for soldiers.

A U.S. Army training circular, published circa 1944, shows different body movements during exercises. (Army)

Q: What did you draw from your historical work thats applicable in thinking about soldier fitness today?

The total fitness model outline of the U.S. Army, circa 1957. (Army)

And it absolutely continues today. There is good evidence that Americans bodies are changing. I know it concerns a lot of people who are thinking on its national security implications. But one thing I can derive from looking at the past century of physical fitness in the Army is that generations tend to rise to the occasions; and the standards by which we measure people in peacetime, when we can afford to be very selective, change in wartime. Physical standards by which we measure the quality of a soldier, are all malleable, those standards are not set precisely down in stone. So, as military service changes, the character of combat evolves, and perhaps our definitions of physical fitness can also evolve alongside that. There is a lot to think about. For instance, when Space Force is standing up and thinking about what it wants its physical culture to look like, there are some big questions to ask.

Spc. Ryan Schultzman, an aircraft power plant repairer with the 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, completes the final lap of a two-mile run during the Best Army Combat Fitness Test Competition May 24 at Fort Carson, Colo. (Sgt. Clara Harty/Army)

Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War.

Original post:
As the Army pushes holistic health, an officer examines the history of soldier fitness - ArmyTimes.com